The soft morning sun streamed through the sheer curtains of Savannah's penthouse, casting a golden glow across the room. She stirred beneath the silk sheets, groaning quietly as she reached out to grab her phone from the nightstand.
Saturday.
She blinked at the screen, 7:30 AM. Too early, but she was already wide awake. The memories of the past night flashed through her mind like a montage she couldn't pause.
Cassian's smirk, the heated look in his eyes, the subtle brush of his fingers on her thigh, and the way his voice dripped with danger and seduction.
Savannah rubbed her face and let out a breathy laugh.
"What the fuck are you doing, girl?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head.
Determined to shake off the Cassian effect, at least for a little while, he decided it was a perfect day for a girls' hangout. She quickly texted Olivia, Ava, and Priya, suggesting brunch and shopping.
Within minutes, they'd agreed on The Bloom, a chic café in West Hollywood that was famous for its garden terrace and bottomless mimosas.
By noon, Savannah arrived at The Bloom, dressed in casual chic, high-waisted jeans, a white crop blouse that showed just enough skin to turn heads, and oversized sunglasses. She spotted her friends immediately at a corner table surrounded by blooming hydrangeas and vines that created an intimate canopy.
"Sav!" Ava called out, waving dramatically.
Savannah grinned and walked over, accepting the hugs and kisses on the cheek.
"Girl, you look like you had a night," Priya teased, raising a brow.
Savannah laughed as she sank into her seat. "That obvious?"
Olivia smirked, sipping her mimosa. "Spill."
They ordered their food, Savannah chose avocado toast with poached eggs, while the others went for stacks of pancakes, omelets, and a platter of fresh fruit.
The conversation flowed effortlessly, work drama, the latest fashion drops, gossip about a mutual acquaintance's messy breakup. But Ava, ever the nosy one, wasn't about to let Savannah off the hook.
"So," Ava began, leaning forward with that mischievous glint in her eye, "what's going on between you and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerous?"
Savannah froze for half a second, caught off guard.
Olivia and Priya exchanged looks. "Wait, what?" Olivia asked. "What is she talking about?"
Ava blinked at them. "You guys didn't know? She left with him last night. Cassian Wolfe. The hot one. The one that looks like he fucks like sin."
Priya nearly choked on her mimosa. "Savannah!"
Savannah raised both hands, laughing. "Okay, okay! First of all, calm down. It's not like that. I was going to tell you.."
"When? At our funerals?" Olivia teased, mock-offended.
Savannah groaned. "I'm sorry! Things just… happened so fast. We've run into each other a few times, that's all."
Ava wasn't buying it. "Girl, you had dinner with him last night, didn't you?"
Savannah felt the blush creep up her neck. She took a big sip of her mimosa. "Maybe."
Olivia's eyes widened. "Oh my! Did you sleep with him?"
Savannah nearly spat out her drink. "No!" she said, laughing and blushing harder. "Jesus, Liv. No. It was just dinner. We talked. That's it."
"Uh-huh." Priya smirked. "Just dinner. Sure."
Savannah rolled her eyes playfully. "I swear. He's… he's charming. But it wasn't like that."
"Yet," Ava added with a wink.
They all burst into laughter, and the tension melted away.
The afternoon was filled with shopping on Melrose, trying on overpriced sunglasses they had no intention of buying, and snapping pictures for Instagram stories. They ended the day at Sugar & Sage, a tiny bakery where they shared slices of cake and gossiped about LA's elite.
By the time they said their goodbyes, the sun was beginning to set, casting the city in that magical golden hour glow.
Savannah returned home, dropping her bags by the door and sighing contentedly as she kicked off her heels. She was just about to collapse on the couch when her phone rang.
Cassian.
Her heart did that stupid fluttering thing again.
"Hey," she answered, trying to sound cool.
"Hey yourself," he said, his voice that perfect mix of deep and smooth that made her toes curl. "How was your day?"
"Fun," she admitted, walking over to the window to gaze at the skyline. "Met up with some friends. Did the whole brunch and shopping thing. You?"
"A lot less exciting," he said. "Meetings. Emails. Boring shit."
She laughed softly. "Sounds glamorous."
"Not when you're wishing you were somewhere else the whole time."
Her pulse quickened. "Where did you wish you were?"
"With you."
Savannah bit her lip, smiling despite herself. "Smooth."
"Always," Cassian said. There was a pause, then, "Come over. Hang out. Let's talk more."
She hesitated, glancing at the couch longingly. "I'm kinda beat. The day wore me out."
"Then let me come to you."
Savannah opened her mouth to decline again, but the words didn't come. His tone was too persuasive, too soft, too fucking tempting.
"…Okay," she said, surprising herself. "But don't expect me to be entertaining."
"I just want to see you, Savannah."
Cassian arrived within the hour, casual but still mouth-wateringly attractive in dark jeans and a charcoal t-shirt that clung to his broad shoulders.
Savannah, in her lounge set, silk shorts and an oversized tee,felt almost shy.
She smiled and let him in. "Drink?"
"I'd love one."
She poured them each a glass of wine and set out a tray of what she could grab quickly. mixed nuts, pita chips, hummus, and a few slices of sharp cheddar.
"Sorry, I didn't have time to cook," she said, half-apologetic.
Cassian waved it off, settling into her sofa. "This is perfect."
They talked about work, about LA, about everything and nothing. But the more Savannah asked about him, hiis family, his past, what he did for fun outside of running tech empires and nightclubs, the more Cassian danced around the answers.
"You're very good at deflecting," she teased at one point, nudging his knee with hers.
He grinned, sipping his wine. "Maybe I'm just good at keeping a little mystery alive."
Savannah didn't press. Not tonight.
It was close to midnight when his phone buzzed, and his entire demeanor shifted. His easy smile dimmed. He checked the screen, jaw tightening for a fraction of a second.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath.
Savannah tilted her head. "Everything okay?"
Cassian stood, already pulling out his wallet to leave a bill on the table even though there was no reason to. "I have to go. Something came up. I'm sorry."
Savannah blinked, surprised at how abruptly the mood shifted.
"Don't be. It's fine. I needed to get some sleep anyway."
Cassian's eyes softened. He crossed to her, took her hand, and pressed a gentle kiss to her knuckles.
"I'll make it up to you tomorrow," he promised. "I'll send you the address. Let's do something fun."
Savannah smiled, warmth spreading through her chest despite the sudden goodbye. "Looking forward to it."
And just like that, he was gone, leaving behind the scent of his cologne and a thousand new questions in her mind.